Thursday, September 30, 2010

Dressed-Up Denim, Part 3

Fall really is here, and for that I am thankful. Rather than taking my lunch back to my office, I've allowed myself to sit outside for a bit at the cafe's outdoor veranda, just me and my thoughts (nope, not even my phone). It's only 15 minutes or so, but it is so...lovely... I used to work pretty regularly at this cafe when I was a grad student. I have vivid memories of working on Russian homework here, reading various musicology articles here, even working on an early (and crappy) version of my master's thesis here. (Where did all this nostalgia come from all of a sudden?)  I guess I miss some aspects of being a student, but don't most people in the "real world" at some point? Especially in the fall? The question of whether or not I'll ever go back to my dissertation still lingers over my head on days like these though...

Hmm, all this moodiness is much like the color I'm wearing today...purple (not blue, but not rosy, either =7). Again. I had planned this outfit a few days ago, even before I became conscious of the purple-ness of all my outfits, too. Ah, purple. I'll swear to think outside the color box for the next few days...

Military green tie jacket - LOFT / Wide-leg jeans - Gap / Purple tank - NY&Co
I didn't feel as fabulous in today's outfit (though I think today was just an all-around blah day for me). I don't think it was as successful in the "dressed-up denim" theme as I would have liked, which I primarily attribute to the lighter wash of the jeans. The flats here are pretty dressy - metallic, buckle, open-toe - so I did about as good I could there for a flat, methinks.

Metallic open-toe flats - LOFT
This is also one of the few outfits you'll see me pair with scarf. I wish I were a scarf person, I really do, but I can't ever get them to work with as many outfits as I'd like. I blame my bosoms for that one - I really don't need extra bulk there! Still, this is one of my favorites...

Purple print scarf - Banana Republic
Earrings - NY&Co
Still diggin' the outside pictures, at least! I'm pretty sure I overheard my neighbors puzzling over why some chick was posing in front of a camera out in the courtyard, though...

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Dressed-Up Denim, Part 2

I first want to apologize for the crap-ton of pictures in this post (and that it's so long). I experimented with taking pictures outside today and I canNOT believe I haven't tried this before. What am I going to do when winter rolls around?! Illinois winters are terrible, especially come January! And how do you experienced out-of-doors photo-takers handle any self-consciousness caused by passers-by wondering what the hell you're doing? Cuz I'm pretty sure my neighbors are gonna start to wonder... Anyway, for comparison's sake, I'm posting both sets of pics - those taken outside and those taken inside. I apologize for the lack of variety in my poses, too. I'm not at supermodel level yet...


Man, the color is just so much truer outdoors, and there is just more definition in general... without even trying too hard... (I know this might be a big DUH to some of you, but it just caught me by surprise!)

Exposed seam boyfriend cardigan - Banana Republic / Striped scoop-neck tee - The Limited / Dark skinny jeans - Gap /
Purple adjustable belt - The Limited /Multi colored/layered necklace - The Limited

Can I just say, though, that I LOVE this outfit? (This is probably the real reason why I posted so many damn pictures.) I put this wardrobe remix together last night (it's becoming painfully obvious to me that I MUST plan my outfit at LEAST the night before - otherwise too much time and stress is wasted if I wait until the morning). And yet AGAIN it's a remix involving my skinny jeans. I've really come out of the closet, so to speak (and puns intended), with these skinny jeans. They have totally opened up my wardrobe horizons, and I cannot believe it took my so long to get on board. Well, no, yes I can - curvy girls wearing skinny jeans was a non-acceptable thing at first. But, so many of us have come out of the woodwork, proving once and for all we CAN rock them. This observation actually reminds me of a recent post by Sal at Already Pretty about this very phenomenon: the more women wear previously non-accepted styles (whether based on body type, trends, etc.), the more accepted they will become. Isn't that a marketing technique, really?


If I'm not wearing them tucked into boots, I definitely prefer my skinnies cuffed, and preferably with a heel of some sort (to prevent the stumpage that Tania at What Would a Nerd Wearpondered yesterday); these wedges are perfect. (Good thing I have 3 pairs!) When I was considering my self-imposed challenge to dress up denim for the next 2 days, I was actually fraught with a conundrum. The initial version of this outfit included flats, the light tan color and faux-croc texture of which I loved with the overall outfit, giving off a polished, yet casual vibe. However, I didn't feel it was "dressed up" enough for the sake of this post. I piled on pretty much ALL of my gold-toned necklaces in an attempt to dress it up a bit more, but that just looked ridiculous. So I pared down to one and tried a pair of wedges, thinking a heel would provide the dressier look I was aiming for. I went back and forth, not sure which overall look I liked best, but in the interest of this post - and in the end because I do think it made a more memorable outfit - I stuck with the wedges.


I mostly love how the colors work together - the bluey-purple (periwinkle?) and the ivory and stripes. It's a playful combination that even my BF complimented (and he rarely compliments my outfits). It's funny, because I was just telling my sister the other day that purple is one of those colors I always like, but never think looks good on me. How ironic that nearly every post in the past week has had some shade of purple in it... I do think that it's this particular shade of purple that works best for me. True purples don't really work - they tend to wash me out. The strong blue undertones in this shade picks up all those undertones in my fair, rosy skin. The combination also made me think of Bombshell Beauty's recent outfits incorporating stripes as her under-layers. I don't own a lot of stripes, actually, but I'm thrilled with the result.


Here's my one whimsical supermodel shot - sorta...


Finally (whew!), the accessories. You'll notice I utilized a skinny belt to help define my waist (something I've been doing forever, but now it's so on trend it's almost laughable) - I kept it in the purple color family so it still blended with the overall look. You already know about the necklace, but the earrings and ring I also kept in the gold family, mimicking the ivory of the shirt, but with a antique-y feel to them.

Earrings - Maurice's / Ring - Banana Republic

So what does everyone think - inside or outside photo shoots from now on (or at least until sub-zero temperatures hit)?

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Dressed-Up Denim, Part 1

I've been thinking about how causal my workplace is during the day. We're talkin' a jeans and t-shirt kind of place (for the most part). Truth be told, a casual vibe emanates from the top, and it's felt in more than the way we dress. I don't mean to suggest that I have a problem with any of it - in fact, I love it; it's one of the things that makes the place so unique and vibrant - but I do get dressed lately (i.e. with my blog in mind) knowing that I'm probably going to stand out. But who are we kidding, here - I love that too. =D

This week, there are fewer performances; nothing, in fact, until Sunday night. (That's not entirely true - there's a big non-performance event on Friday, but that affects EVERYONE for once.) As a result, my week looks a little more like everyone else's, and my wardrobe choices are tamed down quite a bit, too - I'm simply not going to wear a dress or pencil skirt on the days there aren't performances. Some of you might reply with a "Why not?" and that does give me pause, but I guess I've noticed that I save my "best" outfits for performance nights. I mean, not every day can be a pencil skirt day (I just don't have THAT many!), especially in this casual work environment of mine. However, it does give me license to expand my dressy-casual wardrobe vocabulary, especially when I would usually just use the opportunity of a non-performance day to dress in flip flops, crops and a tee. No, even though that was short-lived, I don't want to continue that habit. I've said it before and I'll say it again - I have far too many clothes to wear that sort of uniform ever day! More importantly, a girl doesn't have to wear a pencil skirt to look her best every day, even if the girl does rock them... =)

All this brings me to today's outfit - dressed-up jeans.

 (Why do my cutest poses always come out so blurry?)
Beige suiting jacket - NY&Co / Eggplant sequin bib tee - LOFT / Boot-cut jeans - Lane Bryant /
Camel peep-toes - Banana Republic
While it would have been easy to go into work in jeans, tennies and a sweatshirt (especially after the weekend I had), I pulled together this number instead.  It's a pretty classic ensemble - suiting jacket worn as separates, jeans, and embellished tee. I feel pretty pulled together, yet totally comfortable at the same time. I do have to admit, though, that this seems a little too conservative for my usual style, even with the sequined bibbing on the front of the shirt. It's definitely the jacket that makes me feel more buttoned up than usual (and I preferred to keep it buttoned to define my waist), and since the top is plainly the focal piece, I was just somewhat at a loss (and with little time this morning) to experiment with other layering option that allowed it to be so. (Any suggestions?)  But, I went with it anyway - and I was even complimented on the look in line at a cafe!


It was chilly out this morning, which is another reason I required more substantial layering options. Yes, fall has definitely arrived! I even almost wore boots! But no, I'm not QUITE ready for socks yet...  I went with these comfy peep toes instead, even if I was reminded that it's time for a pedicure...

Because of the tee's embellishment as the neckline, I went without a necklace, but I took the opportunity to wear more playful earrings. I kept my ring toned down, too.


Earrings  - LOFT / Gold and enamel ring - Banana Republic
I think the rest of this week (until Friday, anyway) is officially dressed-up denim week for me. Stay tuned for what I pull together tomorrow!

Monday, September 27, 2010

Is It Still the Weekend?

What a day this has been. Since I worked on Saturday, I took off today, but somehow taking off days during the week, even to make up for a lost weekend, is always less satisfying.  I still get work emails with questions and issues and problems, and I can't seem to turn myself off from those.  The nice thing about true weekends is that the rest of the place is probably not at work either, so there is less - if anything - to respond to.  Performances, when they happen, are in-the-moment affairs, and any follow-up will usually take place on the next "business" day.  So, today, when the rest of the place is back in "business" mode and is following-up from a weekend of crazy performances, I'm still trying to recuperate from said weekend performances, and not-so-successfully trying to ignore said follow-up so that I can attempt to enjoy the rest of my "weekend."

All this is to say that today has been less relaxing than I would have liked.

So here I plunge into this blog post (which I had wanted to do much earlier today), not only to take my mind off of work once and for all, but also because it's overdue! Gah!

Since I'm "off" today (in more ways than one...), I'm comfortably lounging with a cup of French press-brewed coffee (Oaxaca!) in grey yoga pants, a white tank, and a soft pink hoodie; even though I showered, I'm not taking pictures. =P Yesterday, Sunday, the BF and I went out to watch the football game (we're Patriots fans, so the game is hardly ever broadcast on regular TV in IL), so I donned my women's cut Brady jersey, white long-sleeved tee layered underneath (it was chilly!), jeans and tennies. While I would never typically venture out past the bar/restaurant like this, I thought I was looking sporty and cute in my jersey, so I kept this outfit on even while out shopping for my sister's birthday presents. NOT my usual style AT ALL, but I'm okay with that. =)

Rewind back to Saturday, however, the day that has sent my whole weekend askew.  There's not much else I want to say about the day's activities itself anymore (especially since I just decided to cut it all out), except that, if I may say so myself, I looked smokin'... ; )


A good hair day, too!

Lilac bow cardigan - LOFT / white camisole - The Limited / Leopard print ponte knit skirt - Lane Bryant / Purple faux-croc pumps - Nine West
You might recall the Polyvore version of this outfit I suggested a few days ago after my recent shopping trip. I love this look.  I paired it with a low-heeled pump in a rich bordeaux color that nicely complemented the lighter purple of the cardigan. The print in the skirt, while not terribly noticeable from far away, injected a little more fun into the outfit. The bow detail at the top of the cardigan is just super cute, too, adding a nice amount of textural detail that does all the work for you.

Purple faux-croc low-heeled pumps - Nine West

Necklace - Lane Bryant or Limited (??)

I kept the jewerly more muted. The necklace is a double layer in pewter, silver and clear.  I thought it picked up the greys in  the skirt nicely. I wanted a bit more color in my accessories, but nothing too overwhelming, so I choose these funky chunky earrings in a light purple/clear, which I love. If you have a Ten Thousand Villages near you, GO. In addition to fun/funky/beautiful fair trade items sourced from various parts of the world, they have the BEST jewely (also fair-trade).  When I'm looking for something just a bit out of the norm but still stylish - especially for gifts - I go there.

Purple bulb earrings - Ten Thousand Villages
I did break down and wear nylons for this outfit though (I always wear the Spanx version so I don't have worry about a muffin top). Since I was wearing a closed-toe heel, and since it was going to be the first chilly day of the season (yay!), I thought it was time to break 'em out. Because of my wide feet, too, most shoes rub against my skin so uncomfortably that I have to take precautionary measures.  In the warmer months, I can usually rely on blister block for that, though.

My BF (who also worked that night) said that I was wearing a black cloud over my head as an additional accessory, which did slightly detract from the overall fabulousness of this look. I'm sure he was right.

Thanks to this blog, though, I'm slowly regaining my full sonsy self.  =)

Sunday, September 26, 2010

It's Not Easy Being Green

The catch-up continues!

I only worked a half-day on Friday, though that still seemed too long. I wanted to be cute but comfortable, so I pulled out an old favorite. And, I still got to wear green!


Green Grecian maxi-dress - Banana Repubic (via eBay) / Cropped denim jacket - Theory (via eBay) / 
White scoop neck tee - Old Navy / Gold t-strap sandals - Moda Spana (Endless.com)

I've had this fabulously Grecian green maxi dress from Banana Republic since last summer (purchased for a steal through eBay).  I happily wore it a few times, but soon realized that the dress was going to need a few alterations in the straps and the length.  I put it away for the fall, thinking that I'd take it to a tailor in the off-season.  Not surprisingly, I didn't.  This year's warmer months kept reminding me about this dress - a closet favorite that I had relegated to a distant memory as a result of my procrastination.  Well, I finally took it to a tailor a few weeks ago, just in time to wear one more time before putting it away again.

I love this dress. The empire waist, the wrapped spaghetti straps, the vibrant green color, the scoop neck, and its pleated neckline make it such a unique piece that flatters my body well.  I tend to wear this cropped jean jacket with the dress, but I've also layered a short-sleeved white scoop tee underneath the dress to wear it sans jacket if I want.  The material is an ever-so-soft modal cotton that drapes nicely over my curves and feels like pajamas.

Jewelry: Earrings - The Limited / Sterling silver necklace - Kohl's

That evening we went out with good friends of ours, who will soon be leaving our humble little land of Chambana. I felt this outfit was just a wee too daytime, so I changed it up for a rocker Friday night look - black jacket, an embellished tee, skinny jeans (woot!) and smokin' wedges. (Sorry, no outfit pics for this one, though!)

Friday Night Out


Saturday, September 25, 2010

It's not all Black and White - or Is It?

I'm so behind! Here I go and send invites to friends to check out this little blog of mine, and then...nothing...for three days. Oops!  My apologies! As you can probably guess, work has been keeping me busy - especially Thursday night. (I have to watch Project Runway yet!) Last night (Friday) we went out with friends, one of whom is leaving for Turkey on a Fulbright - whenever his visa arrives, anyway.  More on that later, though...

I DID manage to take pictures at least, so once again I get to play the game of catch-up.  I'll have to work later (yes, another Saturday night), but in the meantime I'll kick back and relax with a little blogging, maybe with a little must-see-TV in the background.

Thursday was a long day.  At work by 9am (via bus, mind you), home around 11:30pm. Ugh. Long day. Though I didn't get much sleep, I was surprisingly perky that morning, even allowing myself enough time for a 30 minute phone shoot! I know - impressive, right? But, I was toast by around 7pm, and the evening show had not even gone up yet. By 8pm or so I became downright loopy, especially with my staff. Probably borderline inappropriate, too.

Black & white wrap skirt - Lane Bryant / White ruffle trim tank - Banana Republic / Black open cardigan - Maurices / Black open-toed shoes - Banana Republic / Long silver necklace - Anthropologie via eBay
This outfit is the second black and white combo I've worn this week. (The first was the screen tee/print skirt combo from Tuesday.) Wearing so little color is unlike me.  Not that I try to wear the rainbow every day, but I generally try to incorporate a decent amount of color - maybe 3 shades or so - in every outfit.  You'll notice, too, that red is the accent in both black and white outfits! I tried other accent colors, but they just didn't stand up to the strong contrast of black and white.

The skirt is a true wrap skirt - as in, completely open flappage if I'm not careful. And it was super windy that day, so, yeah... Sure, you can use clothing tape or a pin, but that only works when standing.  When sitting, forget about it. I just kept my legs under my desk all day in order not to flash my whole office. I'm not really sure how successful that was...


I also have this skirt in a green print - a lovely springy shade of green. Considering the fact that it was still so warm this week (90s!!), I wanted to wear the green one more time since I knew it would soon be blatantly out of season - and because I just wanted more color. But, I opted for black, in part because I hadn't worn this one yet and in part because that's what the BF insisted upon.  (This is itself odd, because I rarely listen to him.)  Needing SOME color, I added the red belt.  I should have known better, though, because I ended up fussing with it all day and eventually just took it off - so there went my pop of color! I also added some cute little red earrings, and I kept the rest of my accessories silver.

Red earrings - LOFT / Silver bangles - NY&Co / Sterling silver flower ring - TJ Maxx

All complaints aside, tough, I liked how I looked!  Will try to avoid black and whites for awhile though...

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Adventures in Remixing

I slept in today. And I "worked from home." No, actually, I did work a little from home. There's nothing better than answering work email in pajamas. (Besides NOT working, of course.) And I finished that darned schedule (yay!) while sitting at my kitchen table with a southern exposure. I did have to go in later this afternoon for a few meetings, so I attempted a little wardrobe remix for a more adventurous look that I probably would not have done otherwise. I figured - hey, if this doesn't work, people only have to see me for a few hours!

I can't tell you lovely it was to get a little more sleep.  I'm not quite caught up - and tomorrow's going to be a looooooooooong day - but I'm thankful for what I got. Tonight I have a volleyball game. As in, I'm playing in a volleyball game!  What-what?  On one hand I'd rather stay home and pretend that I am going to to bed early (it's a late game at 9:30pm!), but on the other, I think it will be good to get out and move around. I just might even sleep better!

The team, called the Boomslangs, is made up of a bunch of folks from work for a park district volleyball league.  Aside from being crazy tired, I am pretty stoked about playing tonight, and this league in general. I've fooled my teammates into thinking I'm a volleyball goddess, but just wait until they learn I'm all talk.  Muahahaha.   It's just nice to feel part of something. I'm more often than not pretty anti-social in my personal life. (In my public life - as patron services director, mind you - I'm actually really friendly and outgoing. I have a split personality, I guess.)  It takes a lot for me to get to know other people and, in turn, let them get to know me.  I don't really know where that came from, or when it started.  I think I became more anti-social in grad school, actually, and even more so since I started dating my BF 5 years ago.  But, I figure this is a good step forward - especially since it involves physical activity.  The last group physical activity I did was, hrmm, being manager of my HS varsity soccer team? I did a few yoga classes for while too, but I think that counts even less than than a soccer manager - in terms of group activities, anyway.

Does this blog count as a group activity? The cool thing about blogs is you feel like you are writing in a private journal, or something of the sort, when in reality everything you write becomes, literally, an open book.  It is, however, one of the reasons I started this blog. I really do want to connect with people, and I figured sharing my personal style with like-minded clothing-obsessed bloggers was a good place to start.

So on to the outfit!

As I said above, this is totally a wardrobe remix. These are all pieces I've had in my closet forever, but have never worn them together before.  No, that's a lie; I wear the jacket with the top together all the time... just not like this!

Beige stand-up collar jacket - Dress Barn / Green graphic tee - General Eccentric / silky grey cargo pants - Lane Bryant / dark purple skinny bely - NY&C / Brown wedges - LOFT

I knew I wanted to wear this fun graphic top and these silky grey cuffed cargo pants when I was picking out my outfit last night. I just really liked the combination of that bright kelly green with the steely neutral of the pants. Though it was going to be mid-80s today, I still wanted to layer, so I decided to try this great casual jacket with a stand-up collar, but with sleeves rolled up.  I needed more definition at the waist, so I added this deep purple belt.


I played around with various shoe options.  What I really wanted to wear was a comfy flip flop, but I knew that wouldn't be sophisticated enough and would pretty much defeat the intended vibe of the outfit - though I can't say for sure exactly what that is...  When I decided to try this wedge, I thought it looked the best - especially with the cuffed cargo pants. They make my legs look a mile long! I wish they were all that natural wood color, though, because I don't know if the darker brown completely works - even though I'm all for pairing browns and greys together. (I actually think it's a wonderfully sophisticated combination of neutrals.)


I think it still makes me a look a little boxy, but I like the rugged combination of the almost military-looking jacket and skinny belt. I think the purple in the belt is the perfect accent to the green top, too. The thing about skinny belts, though, is that they move around and get all wonky, especially over chunkier jackets like this.  I fussed with this issue all day, so I'm not sure I'd wear this combo again.

As for my accessories, I kept them simple.  This ring is my go-to casual ring. I can't NOT wear a ring, so this is what I put on when I don't want anything extravagant. The earrings are just a nice little double layered loop that I felt mimicked the ruggedly refined vibe (There! I found it!) of the whole outfit.

Sterling silver ring - Kohl's / Earrings - LOFT

Well, off to volleyball. Go Boomslangs!


Spot On

I just thought of about 5 different ways to begin this post.  (I guess I opted for full disclosure, in lieu of substance.) I do tend to lean toward a stream of consciousness style of writing. I'm also, as a friend recently commented, onomatopoeic. Whether I'm writing a blog post, an email to a friend, or a dissertation chapter; whether I writing about what I'm wearing, how I feel or what I think, I try to mimic the sound of the spoken word in whatever it is that comes to my head at that moment.

I ramble musically?

I'm extraordinarily tired today. The kind of tired that results in waterworks at only remotely sentimental commercials or movie scenes. It's 11pm and I'm still up doing various and sundry things, nothing nearly important as, say - oh, the October staff schedule that I've been meaning to get out since Monday. (But I'm at home, dammit - no work at home!)  I'll start getting ready for bed here in a minute, but no doubt I'll lie awake for a few hours before I do fall asleep, and probably a crappy sleep at that.  This has been going on for about a week.  I'd like two days off in row so I can recuperate, but I'm not sure when that will happen. The busy season is upon us... Where did summer go, again?

I'm grateful at least that our apartment is clean.  Cleanliness is next to godliness - or, at least, sanity. If the place was in an state of disaster, I would be even more of a disaster.

But enough moodiness....

Photobucket

I found a new location to take pictures! And I found a setting that TAKES better pictures! So many fashion blogs I'm reading have impeccable photography, making me realize I'm SO out of my league! Maybe that's why I'm making up for it my prose? Meh? Well, my pics will never be fantastic with a Nikon Coolpix, let alone on the self-timer mode that keeps focusing the picture at my waistline. Uffda. (That's Norwegian for "oi vey.") But, it does serve its purpose.

So I opted for a wee bit of edgy today - a graphic tee, printed pencil skirt and jacket. It's actually nothing like my usual style, but that's exactly why I wanted to try it. I've been WANTING to edge up my look a bit, add a little more funk to the feminine. I dunno if I'm quite there yet or will ever be there, but here's tryin'!

White short-sleeve jacket - The Limited
graphic tee - NY&Co
Ponte knit skirt - Lane Bryant
black t-strap sandals - Banana Rebublic
Speaking of that skirt, it. is. the most comfortable. skirt. ever. I could sleep in this thing. I'm a new fan of ponte knit. The animal print of it is a bit out of my comfort zone - I typically avoid them...though as I write this I'm mentally counting all the animal print pieces in my wardrobe...Huh.  Bombshells Beauty's review of this skirt is spot on (no pun intended), though - it's a substantial pattern on its own, but not too overwhelming that it can't play well with other prints. That's why I was so keen to try it with graphic tees, and this one long hanging in my closet was the exact one I wanted to try. I like the play on black, white and grey - with just a little pop of red.



I'll just say what you're thinking, though - the eyes are on my boobs!  Yep, didn't really notice how blatant that was until I took these pictures.  I'm not yet sure if this is just fun or borderline obscene. Thoughts?

For accessories, I kept them simple and silver. I wanted to keep the outfit's focus on its prints!

Sterling silver flower ring - TJ Maxx
Silver.circle earrings - The Limited

What kinds of graphic tees are in your closet? How do you like to style them?

Monday, September 20, 2010

Cop-out, or Wishlists Galore

I'll go ahead and ask it. Why do Mondays have to be so hard? Between not sleeping well at all, having to go in to work early to approve payroll, and needing to crank out next month's staff schedule, I'm lucky I even managed to do my hair - and even that was half-assed. Yep, I hate to admit it, but I took a day off from looking my best. So, I send my apologies out into the blogisphere; there will be no outfit pictures today. Cuffed jeans, a nautical inspired short-sleeve hoodie (which is actually rather fun - maybe I'll just include a picture of that), and basic sandals were all I could muster today. I think I looked passably cute for my casual office and a quiet, but busy Monday, but nothing worth spending hours taking and editing perfect pictures for this lttle blog of mine.  =7

Photobucket

Notice my look of surprise that this came out half-way decent!

But, I do love me some Polyvore, so I thought I'd compile my wishlist(s) for the fall! I mean, you gotta look at something more than that. Those stripes make a girl dizzy...

Wishlist 1: Black boots, black flats and a hot pair of red pumps.  Every girl has to have them!

Wishlist 1: Shoes




















Nine West Women's Escher Pump
$79 - endless.com




Wishlist 2: The ever-versatile shirt dress, uber cute plaid, a flowy feminine top in a luscious color, a dainty cuff, and taupe boot (a neutral that will go with EVERYTHING!) Also eying the Impo Nyla Stretch Boot in Taupe or the Jones New York Florentine Boot in Taupe).

Wish List 2: Neutrals
$88 - anthropologie.com
Plaid blouse »

Lustrous Lavaliere Top
$88 - anthropologie.com
Oversized tee »



Nine West: Onthemoon
$179 - ninewest.com




Wish List 3: Because I want to be Christina Hendricks in Mad Men. Or, I am. I'm currently building this collection as we speak - just waiting to take the plunge on the 2 tops... 

Wish List 3: 40's Throwback
$68 - anthropologie.com
Tops »

Whirl & Wind Cardigan
$88 - anthropologie.com
Cotton cardigan »




$25 - bananarepublic.gap.com




Wish List 4: Because you never have too many cute dresses. That Anthropologie dress would be fantastic with a white oxford underneath. And we already know how I feel about pencil skirts - I'm wanting one in navy or a navy pinstripe to go with a top I already have.  And the handbag - well, I'm a Tano FIEND. I want this style in either charcoal or blue.


Wish List 4: More Neutrals

In the Navy Skirt - IGIGI
$62 - igigi.com


Doubly Adorned Dress
$70 - anthropologie.com
Bib dress »



Tano Minilisa - Must Have Bag
$239 - musthavebag.com



What's on YOUR fall wishlist?